Part 42: Day 171: Love

Music: Sacred Moon


First order of business: Making Hi-Ethers. I make 10 of them since I have Munny to burn and you can just buy Ethers.



The panels are mostly the same. I just added some items for insurance. I ended up not needing those Hi-Ethers.



Score at least 130 points on Mission 39 and I'll give you a gold star for the day.

This is Phil's training with the Soldiers. The last one with Luxord is about Grandstander. I already corrected that update. Anyway, we've got over 200 points there.

Attaboy, Roxas. 130 points. Here's a treat. Enjoy. (Obtained: Blazing Gem)
Poppet? I wonder.

These rewards are time-limited. Once you progress to the next day (or days for those with optional missions), you won't be able to get them anymore. They're not important, but they are a nice incentive to talk to people.







Our mission today is another boss battle

Music: Waltz of the Diamond
Music: Dance of the Darling




Whoa! That was the beast... Did something happen?





The dogs are here just to waste your time and magic.



Cure Recipe and Hi-Potion.



Same deal with this one.



I have a newfound Love for Aero and Air-Tossed status effect since doing this LP. Remember, Air-Tossed enemies receive more damage and can't move until they land.



Ether and Bronze.We're not getting the Ordeal Blazon now.



That sounded close... By the bridge!?

The Heartless are in the place Xaldin said they would be, so let's go there.







(What could do this to him? What...what's out there?)



Sadly we can't do anything with the Beast. All we can do is grab the Unity Badge (it's the red thing in the distance) and go outside.

Boss: Infernal Engine
New Music: Vim and Vigor


That...is certainly a big Heartless.



I said "they" earlier because there's not just one Heartless.



Don't worry, this isn't a Demon Wall battle. Roxas isn't actually in any danger of getting squished in this battle.



So yeah, this is our boss. It reminds me of the Hi Ho Tank in Chrono Cross. Fuck those dwarves



Despite the large Heartless, the hitbox is very small. It's only in the middle part.



As for its attacks, it can send rolling exploding barrels at you. Just block and you'll be fine. Perfect Block might be useful since it nullifies recoil from blocking, but we don't need it.



Between attacks (and during some), the Archers on top will fire arrows at Roxas. We can see the target, and avoiding them is as easy as moving out of it. Those arrows deal very little damage, but they can inflict Jolt and interrupt your combo. So basically it's more annoying than dangerous.



Its next attack is a hammer. It pounds at the area in front of it. It pounds either 15 times or until Roxas gets hit by it. Whichever comes first. We can just hide in the corner of the bridge, but we still have to contend with the arrows.

I should note that the Infernal Engine will move forward between attacks but will move backward if Roxas hits it with a combo finisher. Normally, it will stop during attacks, but not this one. So, yeah. This is its most hard-to-avoid attack. It will move backwards a lot after (and only after) we managed to avoid getting hit.



If the Infernal Engine is far enough, it will charge. You can hit it during this time for extra damage. Just do one or two combo and then get away from there, probably doing magic once you're safe because...



This attack hurts and will kill Roxas (or trigger Auto-Life). Just go back after two combos. Phantom Gear has 3-hit air combo while Duel Gear and Chrono Gear+ just has 2-hit, so it's a better choice for this boss (in addition to its stats).



This is me hiding in a corner and getting pelted by arrows. Yeah, the hammer and arrows suck.



If the Infernal Engine managed to get near enough (somehow), it'll shoot cannons.



Block it and it'll kill an Archer instead. Kill all 3 Archers and it will stop shooting. You can't kill the archers otherwise, since they're not targetable.



After that, it'll send out a box.



It has 3 Soldiers, which is a joke at this point. After that, it'll attack normally, but you're free from the archers.



However, the Archers will respawn after it does the charging attack. You can just kill one of them to prevent respawning but still reduce the rate of fire, but I didn't bother.



And that's it. There's no phases to this boss, which kinda makes it a little boring. The difficulty makes up for it, though I still rank Antlion a better boss overall.



The Infernal Engine screams (for a given definition of scream)



And it falls apart, adding its heart to Kingdom Hearts.

Video stops here
Music: Waltz of the Diamond


Ha ha ha not yet.



The game puts the Ordeal Badge at the end of the bridge, inaccessible with Infernal Engine around. And you have to grab it now, since the mission will end after leaving this area. Oh, and the camera after this scene points at the entrance, making this badge easy to miss.





Oh no! I don't get to use Honest John's portrait this time!



Pictured: Belle and Beast's first meeting (in this game).

...... Belle... Get back inside... It's too dangerous...
I'm taking you with me.
No... I have to stop...those things...
But they're gone. You don't have to fight any more.

I was thinking about how Belle knew that the Heartless are gone, but it's probably because she saw the Heart floating out.

Of course, it brings up another question about why she didn't wonder more about it. Probably because Beast is a more important and they talk about it offscreen?



I...guess that's true? Kinda? In certain point of view?

Please-you must stop doing this. It's too much. If something were to happen to you... I don't know what I'd...
Belle... I couldn't bear to see you...or the or the others hurt.
A master protects his castle... I don't want to lose you.

Why can't our boss be like that

I'm right here...



(He was protecting the people in the castle. Protecting her. She's what matters most to him. But...Xaldin said it was the rose.)
Feh. Cloying nonsense.



I think the thread's theory about Xaldin being a yandere hits the mark.

That's none of your concern.

Of course it is! You could've helped us fight the Infernal Engine!

Hmph. Love, from a beast? How utterly ridiculous.
Love? What's that?
It's an emotion. The one deluding those two as we speak.
Oh...
They think the power of love will save them? That's the stuff of poetry, not practicality.
Love is a power?
None you or I will ever grasp. Nor will they, for long. The love between them will wither and die. Love never lasts.
But you don't have a heart. How would you know?
I have eyes, and a brain. We have no further business here. Try not to dawdle. *leaves*
That still doesn't explain what love is... Is love fighting to protect what's important to you? Where does its power come from?

Music: At Dusk, I Will Think of You...



Twilight Station Tower: 35
Sea-Salt Ice Cream: 66

This time it's Roxas who refrains from eating.

Xion around?
Haven't seen her.
Oh...
Somebody's gotta talk to that girl.

Axel: And it's not gonna be me because I'm a Nobody!

It's her choice if she wants to come join us or not.
I guess that's fair.
Axel, I need to ask you something.
What's up?
Did something happen?
Nah, it's just... This is gonna sound stupid.
Do you know what love is?
'Scuse me?
I found out about love on today's mission- that it's something powerful.

Roxas, you're better off asking literally any other character in the worlds you visited. Yes, I'm including White Rabbit and Doorknob.

That's true. It is. But I'll never get to experience it.
Nobodies can't love?
You need a heart, man.
Right...
Love is what happens if there's something really special between two people.



I can't resist.

You mean, like, if they're best friends?
Well, you can care about your friends, I guess, but that's not what I'm talking about.
So then...love is like a step above friends?
Yes... Well, no. There aren't "steps."

Actually, there are steps. It's like this:
Step 0. Strangers
Step 1. Acquaintances
Step 2. Friends
Step 3A. Lovers
Step 3B. Best Friends (aka Friendzone)
There's more but you get the point.



Kingdom Hearts.png

What does it matter? We'll never know the difference.
If I had a heart, you think I could love somebody?
Once Kingdom Hearts is complete, you'll be able to do all kinds of things.
That's good.

Music: Crossing the Finish Line


We got Cura!

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